Ludography
80/100
Critics1 review
Diggs Nightcrawler cover

2013 · William Joyce · Adventure · Augmented reality

Diggs Nightcrawler

PlayStation exclusive

Diggs Nightcrawler is the second game to make use of the Wonderbook peripheral, alongside Walking with Dinosaurs and Book of Potions.

Released
31 May 2013
Platforms
PlayStation 3
Genres
AdventureAugmented reality
Developers
William Joyce
Publishers
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Series
Wonderbook
Modes
Single-player
Perspective
Third person
Themes
HistoricalKidsMystery
Country
United KingdomUnited States
Age ratings
PEGI 7ESRB E10+

About

Diggs Nightcrawler (or Wonderbook: Diggs Nightcrawler) is a 2013 augmented reality adventure video game developed by London Studio, Moonbot Studios and Exient and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the second game to make use of the Wonderbook peripheral. The game was released alongside Walking with Dinosaurs and Book of Potions.

Keywords

  • detective
  • augmented reality
  • 1950s
  • playstation move
  • private detective
  • film noir
  • playstation eye support

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Unlike Book of Spells, the Wonderbook is used in more ways than just turning its pages; players will frequently have to rotate, tilt and shake the book in order to interact with the world displayed on screen and advance the plot. Upon completion of each of the game's three chapters, the player can partake in a number of photographic assignments using the PlayStation Move controller as a camera.

Story

The game begins with a short film in which Humpty Dumpty, addressing the player, says he knows he will soon be "bumped off", and asks the player to find his close friend, private detective Diggs Nightcrawler, in order to find out who is responsible. The film ends just as Humpty's apparent murderer enters the room (though they are not shown). The player then meets with Diggs at his office. Diggs agrees to bring the "kid" along, but only because it was Humpty's request.

A mysterious suited individual appears at the door and hands Diggs an egg bomb, prompting a chase through the city streets, during which the shadowy figure gets away. Diggs and the player head to the crime scene where, despite the suspicions of the three little porcine police officers, they find the pieces of Humpty's shell, which are then used to put Humpty together again. But, just before they place the last piece, Diggs and the pigs are beaten up under cover of darkness, only to find, when light returns, that Humpty's body has been taken.

Reception

In an article for The Telegraph, Andy Robertson gave the game a positive review, praising its improvements over Book of Spells in both plot substance and more active use of the Wonderbook peripheral. He also stated that the Wonderbook games, along with titles such as Invizimals, The Unfinished Swan and Tumble, are helping Sony "[hit] the family market previously dominated by Nintendo."

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
PlayStation 331 May 2013Europe · North America 12 November 2013

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Years

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.